The University of Hawaii has launched an internal investigation of UH-Manoa’s chief academic officer over faculty and staff complaints alleging bullying and racist and sexist behavior.
Reed Dasenbrock, vice chancellor of academic affairs at Manoa since 2009, is accused of about 20 incidents in an April 6 memo signed by 22 faculty and staff members. The complaint, which is not being made public because it is part of an ongoing investigation, was sent to Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman last month.
The faculty members, part of a group called I Mua Manoa, accuse Dasenbrock of harassing and intimidating female employees, making racist remarks and denying resources to programs or units led by faculty who have objected to unfair treatment — allegations that Dasenbrock denies.
"I’m confident that the investigation will show that these charges have no foundation," Dasenbrock said in a prepared statement. "The accusations made by the I Mua Manoa group are simply not true."
UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl said Dasenbrock remains on the job while the investigation is ongoing. He said the case is being handled at the system level.
As chief academic officer, the deans of UH-Manoa’s 15 schools and colleges report to Dasenbrock, as do some associate and assistant vice chancellors.
In all, nearly 4,500 employees work in units that report to Dasenbrock, who earns a $285,000 salary.
The I Mua Manoa group formed last summer in response to the firing of former Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple.
UH President David Lassner terminated Apple in July, following what he said was an unsatisfactory performance review. Lassner said at the time that Apple’s performance raised serious doubts about his ability to address the school’s financial problems.
The faculty group has since been advocating for budget transparency and equality.
Philosophy professor Ron Bontekoe, who resigned Monday as chairman of the Manoa Faculty Senate’s executive committee following comments he made to a Hawaii News Now reporter in defense of Dasenbrock, said Manoa’s budget troubles have some faculty on edge.
Dasenbrock is helping redesign Manoa’s allocation of tuition revenue to its various colleges and schools.
"The faculty is very concerned about the implications of a shrinking budget," Bontekoe said Thursday. "The easy thing to do is to go after high-profile administrators because of your displeasure with the budget situation, which I don’t think is very helpful."
